THE leader of Scotland's biggest local authority quit today, blaming stress and exhaustion.

THE leader of Scotland's biggest local authority quit today, blaming stress and exhaustion.

Steven Purcell, regarded as one of Labour's rising stars, stood down as the leader of Glasgow City Council.

The 37-year-old tendered his resignation at a meeting of the authority's Labour group at the City Chambers this morning.

A spokesman for Mr Purcell said he was suffering from stress and exhaustion.

His deputy Jim Coleman will assume the leadership temporarily.

Mr Coleman said today: "The Labour group has accepted Councillor Purcell's resignation as leader.

"What's important now is that the people of Glasgow know that, as far as the council is concerned, it's business as usual.

"The administration will continue to provide leadership for the city as a whole. As always, our focus is firmly on Glasgow's priorities."

Mr Purcell was not at the short meeting of the Labour councillors, in which they were told of his decision to step down.

He did not contact the council directly and has not been in the City Chambers since Friday.

Proceedings to elect a new permanent leader will begin later this year, probably after the general election.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Coleman said: "It was a great shock. We didn't know Steven was under such pressure. I never picked anything up.

"All we can do is wish him a speedy recovery. It is very sad for Glasgow. Steven Purcell did a lot of good work for Glasgow.

"It shows the stress that people in these positions are under.

"My job here from today is to continue the good work he started and to make sure it is business as usual for Glasgow. There are big challenges ahead but we will continue to deliver the agenda for change."

Mr Purcell was 32 when he was elected to the post of council leader in 2005.

In his time in the job he played a high-profile role in helping to bring the 2014 Commonwealth Games to Glasgow but also clashed with First Minister Alex Salmond over the Scottish Government's decision to cancel the Glasgow Airport Rail Link project.

His decision to stand down comes after transport body Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) suffered a number of resignations following a row over expenses.

Mr Purcell had asked Glasgow councillor Jonathan Findlay to take on the role of SPT chairman after another Labour councillor in Glasgow, Alistair Watson, resigned from the post.

He was first elected to Glasgow City Council in May 1995 and served as the council's convener of development and regeneration services and then as education convener, before becoming leader.

It is reported Mr Purcell, who left his wife and came out as gay in 2006, will remain as a councillor in Glasgow.

Mr Purcell's spokesman Jack Irvine said the former leader had been "under enormous pressure".

He agreed to visit doctors after close friends and family became concerned for his health and "the stress levels he had been displaying".

"Steven agreed to seek medical help immediately and subsequently he is now under doctor's orders," Mr Irvine said.

"He would hope to get back in to active politics in the next few weeks and months. He hopes the people of Glasgow would appreciate what he has tried to do for the city he loves."

A spokesman for First Minister Alex Salmond paid tribute to Mr Purcell.

Mr Salmond's spokesman would not comment on his reasons for standing down as leader, saying that was a "private matter".

But he said: "We would pay tribute to the contribution he has made to Glasgow, particularly the partnership that the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council have been involved in to secure the Commonwealth Games, and to plan for a fantastic legacy from the Games for Glasgow and the whole of Scotland.

"The First Minister and Councillor Purcell have worked very effectively together in the best interests of Glasgow in the preparations that are well under way to ensure we have a fantastic Games and a lasting legacy."

Mr Purcell was named as Councillor of the Year at last year's Scottish Politician of the Year awards.

He was given the honour for his role in delivering the Commonwealth Games to the city and a guaranteed "living wage" to thousands of Glasgow workers.

Mr Purcell's lawyer said his client was now "resting and recovering from exhaustion in the care of professionals" following his decision to step down.

Peter Watson, of Levy and McRae solicitors, said in a statement: "Steven does this with a heavy heart but the strain of running one of the UK's largest authorities, combined with the added pressures of the Commonwealth Games planning and the controversy over Strathclyde Passenger Transport, has just proved too much for a man who lived and breathed Glasgow 24 hours a day.

"We have received an enormous groundswell of support from all sides of the political spectrum for Steven, for which he is very grateful. His family would now like him to be left in peace to recover his health.

"It is now up to the Labour group to decide what is the best way forward for their party, and the people of Glasgow, and I know Steven wishes them well in their deliberations."